Winning deals as a new venture capital fund

 This is my third time joining a new firm and second time starting one of my own. One would think that I would remember the challenges of building up a new firm, like a type of muscle memory, but I always forget how hard it is to stay relevant and have a seat at the table for top tier deal flow. 2017 could be characterized as the “Year of the new VC,” with an unprecedented number of… Read More

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Robomart is the latest startup to try and unseat the local convenience store

 The startup assault on the humble neighborhood store continues to intensify.
First came Bodega, the terribly named, and mostly misguided startup with its mission to bring the non-perishable necessities available at the corner store to the masses and “disrupt” the corner store.
Now there’s Robomart, which wants to bring the groceries, baked goods and prepared foods of the… Read More

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Meet Molekule, the sleekest air purifier on the market

 Molekule, a San Francisco-based startup with a sleekly designed molecular air purifier started as an immigrant dream twenty years ago and ended up being named one of Time’s top 25 inventions of 2017. The inventor Yogi Goswami came up with the idea when his baby son Dilip started having a hard time breathing the air around him. Dilip suffered from severe asthma but no air purifier at… Read More

View More Meet Molekule, the sleekest air purifier on the market

Meet Molekule, the sleekest air purifier on the market

 Molekule, a San Francisco-based startup with a sleekly designed molecular air purifier started as an immigrant dream twenty years ago and ended up being named one of Time’s top 25 inventions of 2017. The inventor Yogi Goswami came up with the idea when his baby son Dilip started having a hard time breathing the air around him. Dilip suffered from severe asthma but no air purifier at… Read More

View More Meet Molekule, the sleekest air purifier on the market

Learning to embrace conflict as a part of startup culture

 Most team leaders will agree on the majority of decisions that need to be made and good startup teams seem telepathic at times, but there are inevitably going to be profound disagreements. It’s critical that entrepreneurs embrace these conflicts because solving them properly is often the difference between success and failure. Read More

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Learning to embrace conflict as a part of startup culture

 Most team leaders will agree on the majority of decisions that need to be made and good startup teams seem telepathic at times, but there are inevitably going to be profound disagreements. It’s critical that entrepreneurs embrace these conflicts because solving them properly is often the difference between success and failure. Read More

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Let’s meet in New York to talk token sales

 I’ve been holding a few micro meet ups over the past few years and thought I’d start it up again in honor of token/ICO mania. I’d love to hear what you all are working on in the New York area so we’ll all meet at Union Hall in Brooklyn next Wednesday at 7pm. The event is very informal and we’ll plan the next few months of micro-meetups during the event. My goal is… Read More

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Ex-Uber data chief Kevin Novak joins LA-based startup Tala in big win for LA ecosystem

 Kevin Novak, the architect of Uber’s dynamic pricing technology and the head of its data team, has joined the Los Angeles-based financial services startup Tala as its new head of data. Read More

View More Ex-Uber data chief Kevin Novak joins LA-based startup Tala in big win for LA ecosystem

China’s JD partners with accelerator program Plug and Play to reach US startups

 E-commerce giant JD.com, the closest rival to Alibaba in China, is broadening its presence in Silicon Valley after it announced a collaboration with accelerator firm Plug and Play to seek out and work with promising U.S. startups. The e-commerce …

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Enjoius raises $1.4 million to bring its party planning services to you

 Just in time for the holiday season, a group of prominent Los Angeles entertainment and technology executives have come together to back the new startup, Enjoius, which aims to make it easier for hosts to plan their perfect party. Read More

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Do VC woes extend to portfolio companies? For Rothenberg, probably not

 As VC brands go, Rothenberg Ventures has seen better days. The firm built up a reputation as an up-and-coming early-stage investor. But Silicon Valley soured on Rothenberg Ventures last year; lawsuits ensued. So it hasn’t been a good year for Mike Rothenberg. But what about the Rothenberg Ventures portfolio? Read More

View More Do VC woes extend to portfolio companies? For Rothenberg, probably not